Thursday, February 15, 2007

For those of you who accredit much of your theological learning to Bruce Metzger, he will be sadly missed. Known for his tremondous effort in biblical scholarship and particularly textual criticism, this renown educator has been a major contributor in the biblical field and has paved the way for so many others in exploring the Greek New Testament. His work on the textual studies in the Greek New Testament has been unsurmountable.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

In the Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet, Lord Capulet holds a dinner party for the ladies in Verona. As Juliet enters the room, Romeo catches a glance of her beauty and is spell-bound. Romeo is captured by her stunning and entrancing beauty. One person brilliantly explains, “She is flawlessly exquisite.” Then Romeo says,

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!It seems she hangs upon the cheek of nightLike a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear

Like the Ethiopian’s backdrop brings the luster and sparkle to the jewel earring, my wife brings color and glisten to my life. Her beauty—and I do not just mean physical beauty, but mental, spiritual, emotional beauty, etc.—is incomparable and indescribable. She is the gentle breeze on a cool evening and the warmth from the sun on a spring day.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

I am studying the Song of Solomon this semester with Dr. Gordon Johnston, and I must say that this class has whet my appetite for some poetry. I have never been much of a romantic, but I must say that King Solomon has piqued my interest. I would like to take my insights and observations from my class and present them in a series over the next several months as we begin an in-depth exegesis of the book. I would like to begin with some introductory material and then jump right into the text. We only meet once a week so I will present the material from week to week.

Dr. Johnston has suggested that one way to teach the book of Songs is to think of contemporary Western civilization love poetry and apply the principles that are found in the book. Throughout this series, I am asking people to tell me their favorite love song or poem. As I examine the motifs and themes of the book, I will attempt to parallel them with some of the contemporary language of today. However, over the series, I will introduce you to some of the ancient Near Eastern poems. Scholars have pointed out that there are similarities between the Song and the poems of Egyptian poetry. I doubt that too many men tell their wives that their hair reminds them of a "flock of goats that have descended down Mount Gilead," so my question is how would you describe your wife. What contemporary terms would you use? I believe that metaphors are a great way to create a picture that will make an everlasting imprint in the mind.